The look back period in travel insurance defines the time before your policy start date which the insurance company uses to check your medical background for assessing which conditions should be classified as pre-existing.
In travel insurance, a pre-existing medical condition constitutes any health issue that includes both illnesses and injuries which existed before the policy started. The majority of standard travel insurance policies deny coverage for pre-existing conditions which leads insurance companies to use the look back period as their method of determining which medical claims related to trip cancellation and trip interruption are valid.
Most travel insurance plans use a look back period which lasts between 60 days and 180 days based on the specific policy and provider
The look back period plays an important role in travel insurance, especially for travelers who want coverage if they need to cancel or interrupt a trip for medical reasons. It directly affects how insurers evaluate pre-existing medical conditions and whether certain benefits apply.
Specifically, the look back period helps determine:
Understanding the look back period before purchasing travel insurance can help you avoid unexpected claim denials and choose a policy that offers the right level of protection.
The look back period in travel insurance helps insurers determine if you had a medical condition before your policy purchase and how it affects your coverage.
Here’s how it typically works:
The look back period applies not only to you, but also to a traveling companion or a non-traveling family member whose medical condition could require you to cancel or interrupt your trip.
Example: How the Look Back Period Applies
Suppose you purchase the Travelex Ultimate Travel Insurance through American Visitor Insurance, which includes a 90-day look back period
If you or a covered family member saw a doctor or received treatment for a heart problem within 60 days before buying the travel insurance, the insurance company may treat that condition as pre-existing.
So, if you later have to cancel your trip because of that same heart problem, the insurance company may not pay the claim unless you bought the policy early enough and qualified for the pre-existing condition waiver.
Many travel insurance plans offered on American Visitor Insurance use a look back period to review a traveler’s medical history and assess pre-existing conditions. Plans such as Travelex Ultimate , iTravelInsured Choice, Pathway Plus, Pathway Premium, Trip Protection Choice, and iTravelInsured LX each apply their own look back period, typically ranging from 60 to 180 days, depending on the plan.
These look back periods vary by plan and play a key role in determining whether a medical-related trip cancellation or trip interruption claim may be eligible for coverage.
| Travel Insurance Plan | Look Back Period | Pre-Existing Condition Waiver Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| iTravelInsured Choice | 60 days | Buy within 21 days of initial trip payment and insure full non-refundable trip cost |
| Pathway Plus | 180 days | Buy within 14 days of initial trip payment and insure full non-refundable trip cost |
| Travelex Ultimate | 90 days | Buy within 21 days of initial trip payment and insure full non-refundable trip cost (Not available to NH residents) |
| Trip Protection Choice | 60 days | Buy within 20 days of initial trip payment and insure full non-refundable trip cost |
| Pathway Premium | 60 days | Buy within 21 days of initial trip payment and insure full non-refundable trip cost |
| iTravelInsured LX | 60 days | Buy within 24 hours of final trip payment |
During the look back period, travel insurance companies may check parts of your recent medical history to see if a condition existed before you bought the policy. This review can include:
Even seemingly minor medical updates can sometimes cause a condition to be classified as pre-existing.
No. The look back period mainly applies to medical-related benefits, not every part of a travel insurance policy.
When reviewing travel insurance coverage, travelers often confuse the look back period with the pre-existing condition waiver. While both are related to medical conditions, they serve very different purposes in a travel insurance policy. The comparison below explains how each one works and why understanding the difference matters.
| Question | Look Back Period | Pre-Existing Condition Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| What does it mean? | The timeframe before you buy the policy during which your medical history is reviewed | A benefit that allows coverage for eligible pre-existing conditions |
| Why is it used? | To decide whether a condition is considered pre-existing | To remove exclusions for those conditions |
| When does it apply? | Before a claim is evaluated | When waiver eligibility rules are met |
| How long is it usually? | Typically 30 to 180 days before policy purchase | Policy must be bought within 14–21 days of first trip payment |
| Which benefits does it affect? | Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption | Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption |
| Can it be avoided? | No, it’s part of the policy terms | Yes, by purchasing early and meeting requirements |
| Why does it matter? | Determines what counts as pre-existing | Determines whether those conditions are covered |
Most travel insurance plans use a look back period ranging from 60 to 180 days, with 90 days being the most common.
No. The look back period is counted backward from the policy purchase date, not the departure date.
Yes. It can apply to you, a traveling companion, or a non-traveling family member whose medical condition could cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip.
The look back period mainly affects Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefits. It typically does not impact benefits such as trip delay, baggage loss, or missed connections.
The look back period itself cannot be avoided, but its impact may be reduced by qualifying for a pre-existing condition waiver.
To qualify for a pre-existing condition waiver, most travel insurance plans require that you purchase the policy within 14 to 21 days of your initial trip payment, insure the full non-refundable trip cost, and be medically fit to travel at the time of purchase.
However, some plans have different rules. For example, the iTravelInsured LX through American Visitor Insurance plan allows travelers to qualify for a pre-existing condition waiver if the policy is purchased within 24 hours of the final trip payment, rather than the initial payment.
The time-sensitive period in travel insurance is a short time, typically 14–21 days after your initial trip payment or deposit, during which you must purchase a travel insurance policy to qualify for certain enhanced benefits. Buying travel insurance within this time-sensitive period may make you eligible for:
If the policy is purchased after this period, you can still get travel insurance, but some benefits may no longer be available.
For Example: Pathway Premium by Trawick International When purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit, this plan may offer a pre-existing condition waiver, subject to plan terms and conditions.
The look back period in travel insurance is the timeframe before you purchase a policy during which insurers review your medical history to determine whether a condition is considered pre-existing. This review mainly affects medical-related trip cancellation and trip interruption claims.
Most travel insurance plans use look back periods ranging from 30 to 180 days. Many plans available through American Visitor Insurance, such as Travelex Ultimate , iTravelInsured Choice, Pathway Plus, Pathway Premium, Trip Protection Choice, and iTravelInsured LX, apply different look back periods and offer pre-existing condition waivers when coverage is purchased early and the full non-refundable trip cost is insured.
Understanding how look back periods and waivers work together can help travelers choose the right travel insurance plan and avoid unexpected claim denials.